A massive wildfire that has forced all 88,000 residents to flee Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada has exploded tenfold in size. The airlift was launched after it became apparent that some 25,000 evacuees who found refuge north of the city risk becoming trapped if shifting winds were to cause the wildfire to head in their direction.
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Supercharged by winds of up to 70 km/h, the Fort McMurray wildfire has grown 8 times larger Wednesday night and is expected to continue to burn out of control Thursday as more than 1,110 firefighters, 145 helicopters and 22 air tankers are fighting to protect homes and critical infrastructure across the oil sands gateway.
On Friday morning, other residents are expected to be allowed to drive in RCMP-led convoys down Highway 63 and straight through their city, past the ruins of neighbourhoods where more than 1,600 homes and buildings have burned.
The government has declared a state of emergency in Alberta, a province the size of France that is home to one of the world’s most prodigious oil industries.
Lawmaker Rona Ambrose, who represents the fire-ravaged region, said that it was “apparent that the damage to the community in Fort McMurray is extensive, and the city is not safe for residents at this time”.
“It is simply not possible, nor is it responsible to speculate on a time when citizens will be able to return”. She added “trust us that we have your back, that we will be there for you and support you along the way”.
Mandatory evacuation orders which began on May 3 are in place for Fort McMurray, Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates, Fort McMurray First Nation and Mackenzie County near High Level.
Suncor, the largest oil sands operator, said it is reducing production at its regional facility about 15 miles(25 kilometres) north of thecity.
By late afternoon, 4,000 people had been airlifted out of the camps, and the hope was to get another 4,000 out by end of day. But the bulk of the more than 80,000 evacuees fled south to Edmonton and elsewhere, and officials are moving everyone south where they say they will have better support for the displaced.
Shell said it has shut down production at its Shell Albian Sands mining operations_ about 60 miles (95 kilometres) north of Fort McMurray _ so it can focus on getting families out of the region.
They had arrived in Anzac late Tuesday after being evacuated from their homes 30 miles (50 kilometres) north in Fort McMurray.
“I must be very, very direct about this”, she said.
People evacuated due to wildfires in the Fort McMurray area browse through clothing donations and other supplies at a community centre in Lac La Biche, Alberta, on Thursday.
The fire remained wrapped around the west and southern edges of the city. But officials warned the unpredictable weather could quickly shift and that gusting winds have been very challenging for firefighters.
At least 680,000 barrels per day of crude output is offline, according to Reuters calculations, or roughly 20 per cent of Canada’s crude production.
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There have been no known casualties from the blaze itself, but fatalities were reported in a vehicle crash along the evacuation route.
